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Peg let me introduce you to one of my future cruise mates. She (Linda) and her DH (Tommy) will be sailing with me on the Freedom! Her Tommy is a retired Marine Corps pilot! She is an avid scrabble player and a world class Spades player! I told her about this site because I knew she and her DH would fit in fine. I also explained a little about the roll call site. She and her husband may have some questions that you guys can answer.

Peg let me introduce you to one of my future cruise mates. She (Linda) and her DH (Tommy) will be sailing with me on the Freedom! Her Tommy is a retired Marine Corps pilot! She is an avid scrabble player and a world class Spades player! I told her about this site because I knew she and her DH would fit in fine. I also explained a little about the roll call site. She and her husband may have some questions that you guys can answer.

Ron, thank you so much for the introduction. I owe Linda and Tommy an apology...I jumped to conclusions (and one should never do that)!!!

Linda you will love this group, forever and always. We'd love to hear about everyones trip, no matter where they go.

Welcome from us too----Penny and Bill Feel free to ask any questions. If we don't know the answers we will make up some LOL

Sure, Penny, sure....we know you better than that - you have the answers and few more to boot!!!

Don't forget to let us know what excursions Bill likes so that John can take a look.

I've got John talked into the suit but he looked so crestfallen, I almost told him he could wear short pants with the suit coat!! (What a sight that would be!).

Leaving Thursday for New York and leave on Friday for Nigeria. Have all my shots and malaria pills, so I'm in good shape. One suitcase will have crackers, peanut butter, and snacks. By god, I'll never go hungry again (as Scarlet O'Hara would say).

Thank you all for the warm welcome! We are looking forward to a wonderful cruise. This will be our 4th cruise. We have been to Mexico twice and once to Alaska. All have been amazing with the exception of 2nd Mexico cruise. All plans were contingent on Hurricane Gustav. It made for some interesting tales to share with grandchildren. lol My favorite was the Alaskan cruise. It is a "must do" for everyone. We sailed on Holland American line that cruise. All others were Carnival.

Thanks again for the warm greetings. Ron, thanks for sharing this site.

Ron, Tommy is not able to do alot on the cruise as far as excursions go. His health is such that he spends alot of time in the cabin. He likes to read and spends time on the balcony. As for me, you name it and I will try it. I am not much of a hiker, but all else is game. I heard that there is a terrific zip line in Costa Rica! How about you?

We have not even been able to unpack. Got company the day we arrived home and had a big party the next day plus DH sprained his ankle bringing in my suitcase. I will write a short review on here soon. Oh and company went home yesterday....YEA YEA

Peg did you have to get a GG booster? Will you have access to the net while in Nigeria? If so, please keep us posted. Peg is John going with you?

Penny have you had time to put your thought down about your last cruise? I am really curious about any changes on the Legend.

Linda what do you and Tommy like in the area of excursions? Have you started a coutdown calandar yet?

Okay, Ron, you got me....a GG booster????? God knows I got every shot they give and filled the prescription for the horse pills to prevent malaria and other nasty things.

I'm going to have Skype, especially in the classroom, that's one of the things we're showing them. Nigeria is 5 hours ahead, so noon here will be 5 there. I figure in the evening I can catch up on email and Skype. There is Internet, although they don't guarantee the stability of the connection.

I told John that I leave on Friday morning and I'll be in London for lunch, then leave for Nigeria and be in Abuja at 4:30 Saturday morning (but it will be 11:30 p.m. on Friday here). Being the absolute worry-wort that he is, he said "Okay, I'll be in bed."

Keep those emails coming in, and Penny, I'll try to catch you on Skype in your afternoons. I'm going to try to set up another photo site so that I can post pictures for people to see.

SILLY ME, SILLY ME....I just got it, Ron....GG - Gamma Globulin!!!! No, no, no, I think if they had wanted to give me that I would have replied with a very short NO. Our son had one of those when he was an infant and I remember the size of the needle, the consistency of the liquid (thick chicken soup), and the screams of that child! NO-NO-NO

One time I was being sent somewhere that required GG. The shots (yes more than one) were based on so many cc(s) for every ten pounds you weighed. I tried to convince them I only weighed a hundred pounds! It did not work. There is nothing like getting a shot in each butt cheek with something that had the consistency of turkey gravy and then sitting on a plane for 10 hours!

Peg, John has faith in your ability to handle things. He will sleep comfortably! lol

Linda does Tommy read his books on a kindle or a device like it? Or, does he read bound books? I am afraid as time has passed I am less apt to enjoy things where I am well off the ground. I still have hopes of doing white water rafting in Costa Rica. But that hope grows dimmer as my potential fellow rafters are bowing out. Sometimes an excursion to Senor Frogs with the right crowd can be all I need! I still remember the young lady serving the individual shots and how she stirred them! lol

Penny I do not mean to press you! Bless your heart. I can't imagine coming home from a cruise and immediately having extended company. You must be a good sport! I hope Bill has a speedy recovery!

Tommy still reads bound books but I think he is hoping for a Kindle for Father's Day.

White water rafting sounds like a hoot to me!! Awww, come on! I don't want to go zipping alone! :-(

Ok, you have sparked my curiosity. I have never been to Senor Frogs. In fact, we were in Cozumel after a hurricane. I think Frogs had been washed off the map at that time. How did the lady stir the drinks?????

Call me a computer dummy! I have tried that calendar thingy twice, and still can't get it to work. lol

Ron, you were talking about a $100 ship credit or something like that in an earlier post. Is that something I should know about?

I have read about "secret" doors aboard ship on other posts (not here). What is that about?

Ron, I think the phrase under the pic of the boat means. "Let the good bone roll." lol I could be wrong. In Louisiana we say, "laissez les bon temps rouler." LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL !! aaaaaaaiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee!!

Hope everyone having a relaxing weekend. I wish I had a pool !!! It is HOT and HUMID here!!

Ron, I think the phrase under the pic of the boat means. "Let the good bone roll." lol I could be wrong. In Louisiana we say, "laissez les bon temps rouler." LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL !! aaaaaaaiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee!!

~~Linda

Linda you hit the nail right on the head! I've been meaning to tell Ron about "les bon temps" but then I got to thinking - maybe he's talking about shootin' craps (rolling bones around).

Glad it's not hot and sticky up here. Earlier this week it was 92, then Wed. it was 61 (beautiful sunny sky but 61 with a wind blowing). Froze my little tushy off at work (which is right on Lake Ontario). But I can't complain, soon it will be hot and I can complain about that.

OK Peg and Linda be nice! Peg you should have pointed it out a long time ago! After reading your posts I was about to post a comment or two about a "bone". Then I thought how nice of you to point out my error. Beside this is a family forum. It is what I get for using a free Google translator. I went back and used a Babylon 9 translator that gave me the phrase currently in my sig line.

Senor Frog's and Carlos and Charley's are basically tequila, loud music, tourist hangouts. But if you know that going in you make allowances and have fun!

Linda at Senor Frog's the young lady would tilt your head back, pour the drink in your mouth, grab your head and pull it between her boobs, shake your head back and forth between them, then she would quickly release your head, reach down and grab you nipples and twist and pinch them very hard. I'm a grown man. But she hurt!!!! I let out a squeal you could hear across the dance floor. BTW she (the server) is an equal opportunity provider! The only difference between her service to men or women is when serving a woman she does not pinch and twist. On a woman she just grabs the woman's boobs and give them a quick shake at that point in the procedure!

Peg what will the weather be like in Nigeria? It was over a 100 degrees here today. It would have been fun to raft today!

Linda I don't know yet about the zip line. I am thinking about it. Now if the Chief (Peg's John) were along with us he would be all for it. On the Legend with us last January, he went para-sailing in Grand Caymen.

Driving home from my daughter's yesterday (she lives about 4 hours away), several times on the interstate the car indicated 100+ outside. When I got home it was a cool 98 here! lol

Linda when on board ship during the cruise you can purchase Future Cruise Certificates (FCC). They cost $100 dollars each. The can be used to help pay for a future cruise. You break even on the cost because you pay a hundred dollars for it and when used a hundred dollars is deducted from your balance. But there is a bonus! Dependent upon the length of the cruise in addition to applying the hundred dollars, you get an on-board credit to spend as you wish. In the case of the cruise we are going on I get a hundred dollars of on-board credit because it is an 8 day cruise. So for the hundred I spent... I get a hundred dollars off of my cost of the cruise and a hundred dollars of OBC to spend as I wish! I bought two on my last cruise. But, you can only use one per cabin. The Carnival web site has more details.

I don't know anything about "secret doors".

Peg while you are in Nigeria, could you look up the Nigerian Prince that keeps sending me emails? I just can't help . But I am sure you could help him get his millions out of the country. lol

Peg while you are in Nigeria, could you look up the Nigerian Prince that keeps sending me emails? I just can't help . But I am sure you could help him get his millions out of the country. lol

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Don't worry about the Prince, Ron, I've already taken care of him. I'm bringing an extra large bra and will secure his funds for the trip home. They'll never notice the DDD bra size on someone large like me! I just have to remember to drink all the bourbon that's in the bra before I get there.

Just got another plane ticket today....haven't told anybody in my family. They were worried about small rinky-dink Nigerian airlines, but I assured them that we were flying British Airways. Which is true --- to Abuja, Nigeria. But then today I got tickets from Abuja to Engubu (or something) on a Nigerian airline. I will wear the rope seat belt, but I refuse to hold a chicken in my lap during the ride.